Banana and black tea turn out to be a natural pairing rather than a novelty. The leaf comes from Camellia sinensis, processed into black tea in the usual way, then given a natural banana flavouring rather than dried banana itself. In the cup that shows up as genuine banana fruitiness over a malty black tea base, with a coffee-like edge and a thick, substantial body rather than anything thin or watery.
Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company packs this one fresh to order, the same as its other loose teas, so it reaches drinkers without sitting on a shelf for long. It's a straightforward flavoured black tea rather than anything exotic in construction: solid black tea leaf carrying the fruit note, not the other way round.
Like other black teas it carries caffeine, with this blend coming in at around 45mg per serving, enough to count as a genuine morning cup rather than a bedtime one. Black tea also brings theaflavins and thearubigins, antioxidant compounds that black tea has long been credited with, and tea drinkers have traditionally reached for black tea partly on the strength of those compounds, though that's a matter of tradition rather than proven medicine.
To brew it, use a filter or infuser loaded with the leaf, pour water at a full boil (100°C), and let it steep for about four minutes. It holds up fine on its own, so there's little reason to reach for milk or sugar. Served neat, the banana and malt carry the cup without help.
